Pulsestar Pulse plugs, anyone put em in?

[SHOmethewayhome]

i did a forum search and came up with diddly about them so I assume no one has posted about it yet.

i gotta do my valve cover gaskets and spark plug tubes due to an oil leak, and judging by the looks of it, the engine could use new plugs and wires as well, i have seen ads in a couple of magazines (hotrod, sport compact car, Import tuner Etc...) about these plugs that are supposed to be the bee's knees over a regular spark plug.

anyone ever used em? i priced some out for my taurus and it's looking like they sell for about $25 a piece, so in essence about $150 for the whole set. i think i paid like a tenth of that last time i swapped plugs in my 4.9EFI F150 which is the same amount of plugs for regular bosch plugs.

I got a little money to burn and i'm wondering if it'd be worth the coin to figure out if they're any good, they have some dyno maps on sparkplug.com and claim interesting gains but i mean, i could buy an intake and decent regular plugs for the cost of these plugs.

if no one else has installed a set in an SHO or any other vehicle, i may do it just to see what the results look like on a bone stock platform.

lemme know if anyone else is interested or has any info on these things.

 

[Kens1992mtxSHO]

I don't think anyone wants to blow the money to find out.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

i'm tempted to. it seems like it'd be something better for the forced induction guys than for me and my completely stock set up. i may end up waiting a little longer on this. i was talking to the guys at the shop i go to today and they said they're set up to be a dealer but that they aren't ready to sell em yet. i guess they got some comped for their vehicles (gonna ask later what kind of cars they have) but they said if i wait another month they might be able to get em for me for like 80 bucks for the set. which is only slightly more than some platinum plugs.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

A Tornado is a better investment.

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=91745

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

dude, you rock for that. clearly i miss-spelled pulstar. otherwise i woulda found it off the bat.

i'm just gonna get good regular plugs and wires and keep it as is for now. when i get the rest of the maintenance stuff knocked out i'll go ahead and get the better plugs and wires and coil. i've always wondered this but what does the MSD do?

 

[jayro]

I wouldn't waste the money. If you are looking for a little more hp there are other things to look at first. You say you are bone stock? Do you have a MTX or ATX? First performance upgrade would be a y-pipe. Then, if you have some time on your hands you could start porting and gasket matching the intake. Talk to some machine shops...I got my butterflies machined out for $60, though he said it would be more to do another set. You can get 40mm plates ordered from a guy overseas (someone probably has his email) for cheap. You can reusue the stock ones and grind the stop down so they stop perpendicular to the opening (this isn't the best option, but it will work).

Just some ideas....

If you do decide to try them, let us know how they work.:wave:

Jeremy

 

[Mr Anonymous]

dude, you rock for that. clearly i miss-spelled pulstar. otherwise i woulda found it off the bat.

i'm just gonna get good regular plugs and wires and keep it as is for now. when i get the rest of the maintenance stuff knocked out i'll go ahead and get the better plugs and wires and coil. i've always wondered this but what does the MSD do?

Did you not read what I posted in that other thread?

I have personally seen a number of 400+hp SHO's running stock ignition components (sans plugs).

What do you expect out of "better" plugs, wire, and coil??? Just like the MSD, they just make you poorer. If you've got money to burn, donate it to the forum. There's a donate button at the top of every page.

 

[jayro]

You may want to replace the wires if there is oil in the plug wells. They may be bad.

Jeremy

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

Did you not read what I posted in that other thread?

I have personally seen a number of 400+hp SHO's running stock ignition components (sans plugs).

What do you expect out of "better" plugs, wire, and coil??? Just like the MSD, they just make you poorer. If you've got money to burn, donate it to the forum. There's a donate button at the top of every page.

yeah, i went back and read what you had to say about it. and edited my post. i guess what i expected out of "better" ignition equipment was just that, better ignition.

clearly if someone can run a boosted mill up to 400hp on stock stuff than my money is better spent elsewhere, like buying a clue.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

You may want to replace the wires if there is oil in the plug wells. They may be bad.

Jeremy

thats on the list. but i'm replacing the plugs too, had read about these things, (just not what Mr. Anonymous had to say about them) and considered spending the money on them. now that i found the info in the other post i'm gonna go ahead and get regular plugs and wires.

I'm starting to put my parts list together now for my valvecover gasket swap.

something tells me it isn't as easy as just strolling into the local parts store and only buying the valve cover gaskets. my guess is intake and plenum gaskets too, a tube of RTV, and whatever i'm gonna need to check the valve shims and such since i have the covers off. i think i saw SHO source rents a kit for 50 plus the 250 refundable deposit.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

I wouldn't waste the money. If you are looking for a little more hp there are other things to look at first. You say you are bone stock? Do you have a MTX or ATX? First performance upgrade would be a y-pipe. Then, if you have some time on your hands you could start porting and gasket matching the intake. Talk to some machine shops...I got my butterflies machined out for $60, though he said it would be more to do another set. You can get 40mm plates ordered from a guy overseas (someone probably has his email) for cheap. You can reusue the stock ones and grind the stop down so they stop perpendicular to the opening (this isn't the best option, but it will work).

Just some ideas....

If you do decide to try them, let us know how they work.:wave:

Jeremy

the car is going to go into the shop at the end of september while i'm in vegas and get a full exhaust, i'm going to order the High flow cat y pipe (emissions in Phoenix, wanna be able to pass it) have the shop do an exhaust from there back. not all that sure what the set up will look like but i got a quote from one shop here in town that will install it parts and labor for 510 (not including cost of the y pipe)

 

[jayro]

the car is going to go into the shop at the end of september while i'm in vegas and get a full exhaust, i'm going to order the High flow cat y pipe (emissions in Phoenix, wanna be able to pass it) have the shop do an exhaust from there back. not all that sure what the set up will look like but i got a quote from one shop here in town that will install it parts and labor for 510 (not including cost of the y pipe)

Did you check out the catback system at Shosource? If you arn't looking for anything specific it may be a little less.
As far as the valve cover gaskets... When I did mine, I think I ordered the valve cover gasket set from autozone (its been a couple years). They were the felpro ones and came with the plug well seals. There is a detailed write up I used from the SHOPP web site that helped alot.

Jeremy

 

[luigisho]

Pulsestar? Are you kidding? There's a sucker born every minute. I have a set of Luigicraft's for an even $100 for a set of 6. They look like Motorcraft except they're painted blue for an extra 5hp per cylinder. Fuel line magnets go on sale next month to help you double your mileage.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

Pulsestar? Are you kidding? There's a sucker born every minute. I have a set of Luigicraft's for an even $100 for a set of 6. They look like Motorcraft except they're painted blue for an extra 5hp per cylinder. Fuel line magnets go on sale next month to help you double your mileage.

you know if you're gonna be sarcastic when someone asks a question, at least be clever about it.

i've owned an SHO for a grand total of 3 months, and other than a sensor going out it's mechanically given me no trouble and i've shown the same respect by not screwing with it. now i've been blessed with time off from work and my vacation check with a comma on it and i want to do some work to my car. i have a question and with the exception of you i've gotten helpful responses in this thread.

I'm no expert when it comes to working on cars, i know a little but i in no way make any claim to or try to give the impression that I know a lot or everything.

I'm sorry if the questions I ask, or products i see advertised and ask about insult your vast intelligence or in some way waste your time or disappoint you when you read the thread.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

Did you check out the catback system at Shosource? If you arn't looking for anything specific it may be a little less.
As far as the valve cover gaskets... When I did mine, I think I ordered the valve cover gasket set from autozone (its been a couple years). They were the felpro ones and came with the plug well seals. There is a detailed write up I used from the SHOPP web site that helped alot.

Jeremy

yeah, i was gonna use their high flow Y pipe to replace my stock unit and then replace the exhaust from behind it with newer parts. the exhaust looks to be the original one from 1991 with the exception of a garden house hanger that someone made at some point. its in okay shape, but its rough from being smacked on driveways and road debris and I would like to replace it with something that sounds a little better, been looking on here for examples of what I want and I think i found what I want, i got a quote after i drew it out and and the guy said at the MOST it would be $510 for parts and labor welded, but most likely less.

I'd do it myself but i have no welder as of right now, nor the bender, or space to fab it up.

 

[luigisho]

Sorry. Couldn't help myself. When you see a new product like that it's as close to 100% hype as you can get. I've seen too many people pay through the nose for this type of stuff.

I wanted to get the point across strongly. No real offense intended. Could have been diplomatic.
I'm glad you are interested in your car and that you have some coin to throw at it. Other than new unproven products, you are on the right track with maintenance. Keep it in good order and bank the balance for future needs. Cars this old can be maintenance hogs when it's less convenient and cost effective. Most aftermarket products, even SHO specific, do not produce enough extra hp to justify the cost. You will realize more cost-benefit results with improved brakes and suspension components. I've had almost every bolt-on modification that was available and most were a waste of money. Bigger brakes and subframe connectors provided the most improvement.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

I'm researching the brake upgrade and subframe connectors right now. havent decided how exotic i wanna go with brakes, i guess i have to decide how hard i wanna push this car.

i'm laid off for this week and next and i've spent the vast majority of my lazing around on this forum reading posts and posting my own questions.
i've got a long list of modification and the brakes/suspension is at the top. unfortunately this goes back to the lack of space issue with having to have my car jacked up and the wheels off to do the brakes. and a welder for the subframe connectors because i assume they are a weld in type of operation.

i think tomorrow i may go outside and remind myself what sun looks like and try and find the silencer cone for my intake and yank it out. i've seen more than one person mention that modification as free and easy.

 

[luigisho]

Find an offroad shop if you want to farm out the welding. They are not as concerned with strange modifications and know how to weld bracing. Aftermarket brake setups can get very expensive. I have a '97 SHO now and the ('96 upgrade) is good but not as good as the 13" setup I had on my old car. You would have to get 17" wheels to accomodate that though.
You need to upgrade the knuckles to the GenII's.

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

i was toying around in the junkyard maybe 2 miles from my house today killing time (admission is free after 1pm) and started to get the idea after seeing how much bigger the Gen III and mustang brake rotors are. figured i'd need bigger knuckles and wheels as well.

the shop i went to for the quote is very reputable and does a lot of custom work, guy seems reasonable and has done a lot of work for my friend (3 polaris ranger ATC custom exhausts, custom 4into2into slashed tip cherry bombs for my KZ1000, a 454 dually silverado, center exit on a 2gen eclipse, custom true dual on 6.0 Sierra with 12inch long travel lift a grip of duramax and cummins trucks)
my guess is grand total including y pipe from Sho Source will be in the 500 range.

which got me to thinking about switching the wheels out for some bigger wheels. i've only got 15in(?) slicers with t bird center caps, wanna get something bigger like a 17x7.5 with a 43mm offset but i'm afraid of rubbing.

 

[luigisho]

I had a '90 and rubbing is a concern. There are some sites that have wheel sizes that fit, but the rear fender lips are a problem with GenI's. I tried to modify it myself and wound up with a little creasing and cracked paint. A body shop should be able to do it better with a good fender roller and heating the paint to soften it up so it won't crack. I would be skeptical of it turning out perfect though. There should be some archived info on wheel's that should work.

Just keep in mind that if you want to make it appreciably faster, forced induction is the only real way to get those type of gains. The heads flow very well and it's designed for higher rpms, so it takes to boost very well. This will cause other reliability problems which require more cash or alot of extra wrenching on the owner's part.
I spent a ton of money on my GenI with all the aftermarket parts, and it was not worth all the money. The car was engineered without alot of hp left on the table. I learned an expensive lesson which is to enjoy the car, with a few tweaks, for what it is.. or make the jump to forced induction with all the associated potential problems that go with it. For what I spent on all the extras... I could have just turbo'd the thing or just bought a different faster car. In the end it's still a FWD sedan with a 3k book value.